Underground coal slurry concentrating sump

ABSTRACT

A sump for an underground mine is adapted to combine the output from a plurality of slurry lines, concentrate the product and separate the water for recycling. A pump room provides a lift pump for removing the slurry at a high concentration and also provides a pump for recirculating the water from the sump. The sump essentially comprises a first sloping trench and second and third sloping trenches which slope into the first trench. The slurry pump is connected to the lowest point in the first trench. A partition is built between the second and third trenches and the shallowest end of the first trench and a weir is placed between the partitioned portion and the rest of the sump so that excess water can flow from the sump into the partitioned portion of the sump. The water recirculation system is connected to the shallowest end of the first sump.

United States Patent Doerr et al.

[451 Mar. 11, 1973 1 UNDERGROUND COAL SLURRY. Primary Examiner-Evon C.Blunk CONCENTRATING SUMP Assistant Examiner-W. Scott Carson [75]Inventors: Richard E. Doerr; David L. McCain; Attorney Agent or Flrmwmalm Mmer Hilbert D. Dahl, all of Ponca City, Okla- 57 ABSTRACT [73]Assignee: cfmfinental Company Ponca A sumpfor an underground mine isadapted to com- City, Oklabine the output from a plurality of slurrylines. con- [22] Fil d; A 15, 1974 centrate the product and separate thewater for recycling. A pump room provides a lift pump for removing [21]Appl' 461035 the slurry at a high concentration and also provides a pumpfor recirculating the water from the sump. The 52 US. Cl 302/14, 299/18,299/19 p essentially comprises a first sloping trench and 511 int. Cl.B65g 53/30 second and third p g trenches which slope into the [58] Fieldof Search 299/7-9, 17-19; first treneh- The slurry p is connected to the302/14 16 est point in the first trench. A partition is built betweenthe second and third trenches and the shallow- 5 References Ci d est endof the first trench and a weir is placed between UNITED STATES PATENTSthe partitioned portion and the rest of the sump so 0 302 14 that excesswater can flow from the sump into the par- 32:8: "g 1 titioned portionof the sump, The water recirculation l856836 5/1932 299/7 X system'isconnected to the shallowest end of the first 3,260,548 7/1966 Reichl299/18 Sump- 3,790,214 2/1974 Kilroy 299/19 X 4 Claims, 3' D awing Figues A r 3R a 3 s s t e I2 30 a 56 6 e 9 25 2| R 23 \\l I4 I ll 3, 0 9

I Q/ o l w \l gjisllls 4) I 5 s 39 t9 42 1? 55 2 L I 5 1 4 $1- l 5 J Fii QR PATENTED MARI 1 I975 sum 2 0? 2 UNDERGROUND COAL SLURRYCONCENTRATING SUMP BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is extremelydifficult to form a large sump in a mine which is being mined by thepillar method. Since the tunnels are fairly narrow, the sump hereindescribed provides a unique apparatus for concentration of slurry insuch a confined environment. A trench can be dug by a conventionalmining machine in a configuration which slopes in two directions to forma first trench. At the deepest portion a partition is erected and a pumproom built. Second and third trenches are then formed along a secondtunnel which has been already formed at right angles to the firsttunnel. A partition for water storage is erected between the second andthird trenches and the shallowest end of the first trench. A waterconnection is placed between the partitioned off portion and the pumproom where .a pump is maintained for recirculating of the water. Theslurry lines from various coal faces are emptied into the second andthird tunnels. A weir in the partition to the water storage area permitsoverflow water, as it accumulates, to pass into the water storage area.As the coal is added to the second and third trenches, it moves down thebottom of the trenches toward the lowest portion of the first trenchwhere the slurry pump lifts the concentrated coal to the surface ofthemine. Coal can be emptied into the trenches until sufficient coal is inthe first trench to provide adequate concentration for efficientpumping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The patent to J. A. MacLellan titledHydraulic Hoisting US. Pat. No. 3,269,777, shows a shallow sump formedin a mine for the purpose of water concentration. A storage tank isformed in the mine for concentrating the slurry wholly separate from thewater storage sump.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is atop view of the sump illustrating the general configuration of thevarious trenches and the location of the inlet lines and pump room;

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the sump shown in FIG. 1 taken throughlines 2-2; and

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the sump illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

Similar numbers will be used throughout the specification for similarelements.

Referring to all of the drawings, a first mine tunnel has formed thereina first sump generally referred to by the arrow 11. The sump is formedby digging a trench by any usual means but would more probably be formedby a standard continuous mining machine. The rock and debris would behauled out by conveyor or car. The sump or trench 11 will have verticalside walls 12, a shallow end 13, and a deep end 14. The bottom (see FIG.3) is sloped gradually from end 13 to end 14. The angle of slope for thepreferred embodiment should be greater than the angle of repose for thecoal slurry mixture dumped into the trench. Walls 12 through 14 andbottom 15 can be lined with reinforced concrete in order to preventsloughing of debris and rock from the side walls. I

A second tunnel 20 has a second sump or trench referred to by arrow 21and a third sump or trench referred to by arrow 22, formed to graduallyslope into trench 11. Each of the trenches Hand 22 has side walls 23 andshallow end 24 and a bottom 25 (see FIG.

3) which as previously mentioned slopes into trench 11. Bottom 25likewise has an angle greater than the angle of repose of the coalslurry mixture. These trenches can be lined with reinforced concrete. Ifit is desired to cover the sump for the expedience of moving machines orpersonnel over the sump, braces 26'can be attached between walls 23 andin line with walls 12. Beams 27 can be laid across both sumps II and 21and 22. In place of beam 27, a grate 28 could also be used.

A water reservoir 30 is formed by placing a partition, generallyreferred to by arrow 31, in line with wall 23. A weir 32 is placed atthe desired water level by forming partition 31 to a desired height sothat the water can flow over the top of same. It is possible, of course,that pipes could operate as a weir equally as well but may be moresusceptible to plugging.

A pump room generally referred to by arrow 35 is formed at least as lowas the maximum depth of trench 11 and has maintained therein a waterpump 36 and a slurry pump 37. A pipe 38 passes through end 14 to theinlet of slurry pump 37 and a second pipe 39 is connected to the slurryoutput system which may be at the surface of the mine. Water pump 36 isconnected to water reservoir or chamber 30 by means of a pipe 40 whichpasses through partition 31 and into chamber 30 at one end and throughend 14 of sump 11 and into the inlet of pump 36 at its other end. A pipe42 connects with pipe 43 which in turn is coupled to the water inlet forthe slurry system at each of the respective coal faces being mined. Alsofrom each of the coal faces being mined is a plurality of individualslurry lines 45 emptying into trench 21' and slurry lines 46 which emptyinto trench 22. A makeup water supply is provided through pipe 55 tooutlet 56 which empties into water reservoir 30.

In order to provide access to pump room 35, a manway 47 is formed fromthe pump room 35 to the surface of tunnel 10 by means of an opening 48.Communication is also provided with a pump means through the roof 49 ofthe pump room.

Operation the large trench or sump 11. The product contained in theslurry will then proceed as indicated by arrows 62 and 63 to the slurrypump inlet pipe 38 where it is lifted by pump 37 up pipe 39 and out ofthe surface of the mine to a preparation plant or other treatingfacility. Likewise, slurry coming in pipe 46 will drop in the sump inthe direction of arrow 64 to the bottom 25 of trench or sump 22 andalong the bottom 15 of the large sump 11 in the direction of arrow 65and proceed as previously discussed with material coming from pipe 45.The water which is also mixed with the coal to form the slurry will fillsumps ll, 21, and 22. As the water fills the sumps it will pass in thedirection of arrow to the water reservoir 30 As needed, the water willbe pumped from pipe 40 into water pump 36 up pipes 42 and 43 to thevarious coal faces where the slurry mining is taking place. Since somewater is continuously being pumped out through the slurry line 39, waterwill be lost to the system if additional water is not added. Therefore,additional water through pipe 55 from a source of water is dropped intowater reservoir 30 through outlet 56.

Conclusions The sump has been illustrated for a mine using thepillar-type technique. Only a single pair of side sumps has beenillustrated; however, it is obvious that sump or trench 11 can beelongated and additional side sumps added as necessary for eitheradditional capacity of coal product or additional capacity for slurrylines.

Engineering details relating to the method of construction of the sumphave not been included since the forming of concrete side walls is wellknown in the art and requires mere engineering skill.

In addition, wall-to-wall bracing has not been illustrated and wherenecessary would be included in the forming of the sumps. It is alsoobvious that a single sump feeding into the large sump could also beincorporated if only a few mine faces were being operated and the sumpcould efficiently operate with a smaller total capacity.

The preferred embodiment illustrates a pump room having the water pumpand slurry pump mounted at the bottom. It is obvious, of course, that inlieu of a pumping room the water and slurry pumps could be placed on thefloor of the mine and pipes extended to the bottom of the sump or asubmersible pump could be placed at the bottom of the sump and materialpumped out.

Other obvious changes can be made in the particular preferred embodimentdescribed herein and still be within the teachings of this invention asset out in the specification and accompanying claims.

What we claim is:

1. An underground mine slurry sump for a plurality of slurry linesinside said mine;

said mine having at least a first tunnel and a second tunnel formednormal to said first tunnel, said sump comprising:

a trench formed in said first tunnel and having first and second ends, abottom tapering downward toward said second end and substantiallyvertical side walls;

second and third trenches formed in said second mine tunnel, the bottomof each said second and third trenches sloping downwardly into saidfirst trench, said second and third trenches each having vertical sidewalls;

partition means formed at the intersection of the side walls of saidfirst trench and the side walls of said second and third trenches toform a water storage chamber;

weir means formed through the top of said partition to permit excesswater to decant from the deeper end of said first trench and from saidsecond and third trenches by permitting water to flow into said waterstorage chamber;

water pump means connected between said water storage chamber and asource of water for said slurry mine system;

slurry pump means connected through the bottom of said second end to thesurface of said mine for removing concentrated slurry from said sump,slurry inlet means communicating with said second and' third trenches.

2. A sump as described in claim 1, wherein the sides and bottom areformed of concrete and wherein said bottom slopes at an angle greaterthan the angle of repose of coal and water admixed.

3. A slurry sump as described in claim 1 additionally including a pumproom maintained adjacent said second end and at a depth equal to thebottom of said sump at said second end and a manway formed between saidpump room and said first tunnel.

4. A slurry sump as described in claim 3 wherein said pump roomadditionally includes a water pump and a slurry pump.

1. An underground mine slurry sump for a plurality of slurry linesinside said mine; said mine having at least a first tunnel and a secondtunnel formed normal to said first tunnel, said sump comprising: atrench formed in said first tunnel and having first and second ends, abottom tapering downward toward said second end and substantiallyvertical side walls; second and third trenches formed in said secondmine tunnel, the bottom of each said second and third trenches slopingdownwardly into said first trench, said second and third trenches eachhaving vertical side walls; partition means formed at the intersectionof the side walls of said first trench and the side walls of said secondand third trenches to form a water storage chamber; weir means formedthrough the top of said partition to permit excess water to decant fromthe deeper end of said first trench and from said second and thirdtrenches by permitting water to flow into said water storage chamber;water pump means connected between said water storage chamber and asource of water for said slurry mine system; slurry pump means connectedthrough the bottom of said second end to the surface of said mine forremoving concentrated slurry from said sump, slurry inlet meanscommunicating with said second and third trenches.
 1. An undergroundmine slurry sump for a plurality of slurry lines inside said mine; saidmine having at least a first tunnel and a second tunnel formed normal tosaid first tunnel, said sump comprising: a trench formed in said firsttunnel and having first and second ends, a bottom tapering downwardtoward said second end and substantially vertical side walls; second andthird trenches formed in said second mine tunnel, the bottom of eachsaid second and third trenches sloping downwardly into said firsttrench, said second and third trenches each having vertical side walls;partition means formed at the intersection of the side walls of saidfirst trench and the side walls of said second and third trenches toform a water storage chamber; weir means formed through the top of saidpartition to permit excess water to decant from the deeper end of saidfirst trench and from said second and third trenches by permitting waterto flow into said water storage chamber; water pump means connectedbetween said water storage chamber and a source of water for said slurrymine system; slurry pump means connected through the bottom of saidsecond end to the surface of said mine for removing concentrated slurryfrom said sump, slurry inlet means communicating with said second andthird trenches.
 2. A sump as described in claim 1, wherein the sides andbottom are formed of concrete and wherein said bottom slopes at an anglegreater than the angle of repose of coal and water admixed.
 3. A slurrysump as described in claim 1 additionally including a pump roommaintained adjacent said second end and at a depth equal to the bottomof said sump at said second end and a manway formed between said pumproom and said first tunnel.